YouthCO provides financial support directly to youth living with HIV and/or Hep C in BC to help with costs that come up in every day life.

Youth can apply anytime. YouthCO reviews applications four times per year. We may be able to review urgent applications more quickly - please include this information in your application if needed.  

Let us know if we can help with this application or answer any questions you may have about this program.

Who can access YouthCO’s financial support program?

YouthCO provides financial support to people who are:

• Youth, up to, and including, 29 years old
• Based in what is now called British Columbia
• Currently living with HIV and/or Hepatitis C
• Experiencing financial barriers or challenges

You do not need to be a Canadian citizen to apply for this funding.

What financial supports does YouthCO offer?

Youth may apply for financial support to help with costs that support our wellbeing, basic necessities, or educational and career development. Here are some of the things we can help with:

• educational costs (high school, vocational courses, professional development, post-secondary, including textbooks and other material fees)
• cultural, wellness, and social activities
• health expenses that are not covered by private or public insurance plans
• required fees for identification or government processes
• groceries
• rent and/or moving costs
• monthly bills
• materials and supplies, including clothing

Youth are encouraged to apply for financial support for anything on this list or other needs that support wellbeing.

How much money can I receive?

Typically, YouthCO can provide up to $1,000 per application. Please let us know what your needs are in your application.

How will YouthCO decide about my application?

YouthCO will do our best to provide financial support to everyone who applies. Unfortunately, we may not have the financial capacity to approve all applications for financial support right away.

YouthCO prioritizes applications from:

• Indigenous and Black youth
• youth who have not previously received financial supports from YouthCO
• youth seeking financial supports for costs directly related to HIV and/or Hep C treatment and care

Who will see the information I provide in my application?

YouthCO reduces the number of people who see the application as much as possible. In most cases, the full application will only be seen by one of YouthCO’s managers and YouthCO’s Executive Director. Only people who have agreed to keep the information confidential will see the full application.

In some cases, other staff members or volunteers who have agreed to keep the information confidential will look at the application form with our name removed. In this way, these staff members and volunteers will be able to make decisions about what applications to approve without knowing the name of the person who applies.

Board members have responsibility for approving YouthCO's expenses, including payments for the finanical support program. These Board volunteers will only see the the first page of the application.

We will take all possible precautions when storing and transmitting this information. All information is collected in line with our Privacy Policy at www.youthco.org/privacy.

How can I apply?

1. Fill out the application form (below). We can get help to fill out this form by calling YouthCO, or asking someone who we trust. The application can be written by hand, typed out, or filled out by calling YouthCO. Youth can work with a support person to fill out this application.
2. Confirm your HIV and/or Hep C status, if you haven't accessed Positive Programs at YouthCO before. 
3. Give your application to the YouthCO team by mail or email:
   • Mail: PO BOX 3450 Vancouver Main, Vancouver BC  V6B 3Y4
   • Email: [email protected]

What happens after I apply?

1. When we receive your application, we will confirm it is complete, and that you are eligible, and let you know we have received it. If it isn’t complete, we will get in touch to help you complete it. If you are not eligible, we will contact you to let you know.
2. YouthCO reviews applications as they are received.
3. We will contact you as soon as possible to let you know if your application is approved or not.

• If your application is approved, we will confirm your information, let you know about any tax documentation we are required to provide, and with your permission, confirm your payment information and process your payment as soon as possible. We will store your application confidentially with our financial records.
• If your application is not approved, we will let you know why your application was not approved. If your application is still eligible and relevant, we will ask if you would like us to consider it in the future. If you are not eligible, or decide not to have your application considered in the future, we will delete any electronic copies of your application, and shred any paper copies.

We will do our best to support to everyone who applies, however, we may not have the financial capacity to approve all applications for financial support. Either way, we will be in touch once we receive your application.

Forms

If you need help accessing this form, or would like help filling out this form, give YouthCO a call at

• Word format (we are able to type into this version)
• PDF format (this version is best for printing out)

Art by A. Hudnall.